1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information searching, retrieval, and modification in database systems, and more specifically, relates to a method for processing and displaying queries in a domain name registration system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Domain Name System (DNS) originated with the implementation of ARPAnet (a project of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). It enabled individual computers to be identified uniquely for the purpose of transmitting and receiving data over a wide area network. The DNS contains information that allows each computer to be uniquely identified. Each computer on the network was assigned an address, which today is known as an Internet Protocol Address (IP Address). Today, each computer's IP Address consists of a unique string of digits. A domain name consists of a unique string of characters. The DNS maps each unique domain name to its unique IP Address. Domain names consist of two parts: an initial string of alphameric characters followed by a period (commonly known as “dot”) and by a second string of alphameric characters. The second string of characters is known as a Top Level Domain (TLD). The DNS recognizes only TLDs that have been specified by international convention. Some of the most commonly used TLDs are “com,” “net,” and “org.” The first string of characters followed by the dot and then followed by the TLD is known as a Second Level Domain (SLD).
The system of computers and databases that directs the mapping of each unique domain name to its unique IP address is the DNS. The primary database for the DNS is the “A Root Zone File”. This database is at the top of the DNS tree and is the authoritative database throughout the Internet. The “A Root Zone File” has been maintained under quasi-governmental control with input from government agencies and academia and is currently directed by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Other elements of the DNS are “name servers” which are computers and associated databases distributed throughout the Internet containing information that map domain names to specific IP Addresses.
The registry database is the Authoritative database for all .com, net, org, and .edu TLDs. The registry database contains all domain names that have been registered in those TLDs and information about each domain name's creation and expiration date, its name servers and the name servers' IP Addresses. The registry database is operated under government contract with the U.S. Department of Commerce. Entities that have received accreditation from Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), have received technical certification from the registry database, and have complied with other requirements are qualified to become “Registrars.” Registrars have the ability to add, modify and delete data elements including domain names from the registry database.
The availability of a data element in the registry database is determined by specifying a single domain name or a single string of characters that comprise the SLD and submitting a query using that string of characters. This procedure is used by registrars to query the registry database as well as to insert names to the registry database. As the number of registered domain names has increased, the amount of time required to find a suitable domain name that is available by querying the registry database has increased. Many names with obvious application to commercial endeavors have already been registered. It is increasingly difficult to find suitable domain names for commercial and other endeavors. One problem with prior domain name registration systems is that users can not easily check multiple names at one time. The process of checking a single name, finding out whether it is available, checking another variation and finding out whether that name is available, checking yet other variations for availability, and making a list of the available choices is often lengthy, laborious and frustrating.
Another problem with domain name registration is that as more domain names are registered, it is increasingly difficult to create the ideal domain name suitable for a particular purpose or commercial venture. Users often spend much time trying variations of word orders or finding synonyms for a particular word.